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Live Nation has agreed to a preliminary settlement with the US government to end a monopoly case brought by the Department of Justice, in a deal that would stop short of breaking up the company.

The DoJ and some US states have reached a deal with Live Nation, which is the parent company of Ticketmaster, less than a week after trial began in New York, according to a senior justice department official. But 27 other state attorneys-general have refused to join the agreement, arguing it benefits Live Nation. 

The DoJ in 2024 sued Live Nation, accusing it of operating a monopoly that “suffocates its competition” in the live entertainment industry. The government alleged that the company illegally dominated the market for ticketing and concert promotion, using “exclusionary conduct” to wield an outsized influence over the majority of live concert venues across the US.

The lawsuit came amid growing discontent among fans, rivals, artists and US lawmakers, who have accused Live Nation of abusing its market power by charging exorbitant fees and retaliating against venues that choose to work with rivals.

It followed a fiasco during the ticket sale of Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour in 2022, when Ticketmaster’s website was overwhelmed by massive demand.

The terms of the deal, which will have to be confirmed by a federal court, include Live Nation offering a product that will allow other ticketing companies to use its technology. It would also let go of 13 amphitheatres it owns or controls — a number that may rise if other states join the agreement. 

The deal “opens up markets for other competitors, which will allow for competition that previously didn’t exist in primary ticketing and in the live entertainment space”, said a senior DoJ official. 

“That competition is going to have a direct impact on prices coming down,” he added. “It’ll also give consumers more options and not feel like they just have to go through Live Nation or Ticketmaster.”

But New York state attorney-general Letitia James, who has led a bipartisan group of states suing Live Nation, on Monday said in a statement that the agreement “fails to address the monopoly at the center of this case, and would benefit Live Nation at the expense of consumers. We cannot agree to it.”

“[W]e will continue our lawsuit to protect consumers and restore fair competition to the live entertainment industry,” she added.

Live Nation did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday that the case involving two men accused of throwing improvised explosive devices near Gracie Mansion is being investigated as an “act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.”

Speaking during a press conference alongside Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Tisch said the suspects, Amir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, will be prosecuted in federal court in Manhattan.

She said a criminal complaint outlining the charges and factual allegations is expected to be made public later Monday.

Tisch declined to discuss specific details of the ongoing investigation, citing the pending federal prosecution, but confirmed that authorities are treating the case as terrorism-related.

The announcement comes after Fox News previously reported that federal agents served search warrants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania tied to explosive devices thrown during a protest in New York City.

A New York Police Department source told Fox News that devices hurled into the crowd were packed with nuts, bolts and screws, and contained a chemical substance inside a taped canister fitted with a fuse.

Balat and Kayumi, who were arrested on Saturday, remained in custody as federal teams searched their homes in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, according to federal sources.

Investigators also executed a warrant at a related address in New Jersey.

Other federal sources told Fox News on Monday morning that a “terror investigation” is now underway after confirmed improvised explosive devices and a suspicious device were discovered near Gracie Mansion over the weekend.

Sources said the two suspects, Balat and Kayumi, allegedly made pro-ISIS statements while in custody.

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Investigators are also examining their past travel, including trips to Turkey and potentially other locations known as terror training grounds.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

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